This charter amendment should be approved because bereaved families deserve to know the facts about how their loved ones died during encounters with law enforcement. 

Your yes vote will ensure that the County Charter protects the right of all families, regardless of financial means, to have legal representation in their loved one’s inquest hearing. Currently, law enforcement officers receive legal representation, either at taxpayer expense or through their unions, in inquest hearings. Your vote will ensure that families have the same opportunity. Providing families legal counsel will create a more fair and balanced inquest process.  

This amendment also clears up confusion about when an inquest will occur. The amendment clarifies that all deaths involving law enforcement will be thoroughly investigated through the public inquest process. This will build public trust and ensure that families, law enforcement and the public are served by an inquest process they can understand and count on. 

King County families deserve to know what happened to their loved ones—and why. Amend the charter and help them find justice. This charter amendment should be approved because bereaved families deserve to know why their loved ones died during encounters with law enforcement. 

Sam Pailca, Katrina Johnson, Andre Taylor, sampailca@outlook.com

No statement submitted.

Statements in favor of and in opposition to a ballot measure are submitted by committees appointed by the jurisdiction. No persons came forward to serve on the committee and to write a statement in opposition. If you would like to be involved with a committee in the future please contact the jurisdiction.

Download full text of the resolution

Simple Majority (King County Charter, Section 800)

For questions about this measure, contact: Tom Koney, Deputy Director, Department of Executive Services, 
(206) 263-9755, tom.koney@kingcounty.gov